Nine Months In...

On December 31, I completed nine months solo. Really, 9.5 months. But I knock of the first two weeks to round it out.

It's been quite a journey. A lot has happened. I've seen a lot. I've learned a lot more. I'm mostly satisfied with my progress as a rookie. But, I always look for way to improve what I'm doing. Here's the short of my progress.

• I've driven 91,000 miles in 9.5 months for an average of 2,394/wk in a 5-day week. It could have been more. But, I had a few weeks where my miles averaged <2,000/wk. Especially at the beginning and around the holidays.
• I earned every single bonus for each quarter I drove, earning an additional $2,730 for the year. It will be more as my mileage increases. Once I've driven 125,000 for them, they add an additional 0.05 per safe mile driven.
• I've finished in the top 8 drivers in safety every month I've been driving. I'm usually in the top 3 drivers from a safety perspective. I've finished in first several weeks recently.
• My pay has increased by 0.15/mile since I went solo. According to the pay scale, I'm a little ahead of the curve and anticipate a nice increase if I complete the remainder of my first year of driving on the safe-side. Meaning no accidents.
• My fleet leader and I have developed a high functioning level of trust with each other. HE made the comment that he trusts me as much as a driver who has 20 years experience. We are at the point where he can reasonably predict what I will do in any given situation. He hands me the ball and I run with it as far as I'm reasonably and safely able to every day.
• I've learned how to drive overnight. Not my favorite thing. But, recently, they've been giving me loads that require me to run overnight. I thought I would be too tired driving at night. But, it really hasn't bothered me at all. Except that it's difficult to sleep during the day. Honestly, I don't like it.

Anyway, I'm not setting any new goals for 2023. I'm looking to keep things on track for the next few months and see what happens at the one year mark. I said I'd give it one year and take a serious look back, and ahead, to decide if I keep driving or not.

Thanks for reading and remember - Today was a good day! Tomorrow will be better! Be safe everyone.

Nice! Another new(ish) driver who has excelled in trucking. Congratulations driver!

Way to go Bill! You’re doing great!

We started about the same time, but you’re way ahead of me now after my 5 months off. I got a message today that I’ve earned my 6 months Safety award.

I’ve been out 4 weeks now since coming back. Only about 7,300 paid miles compared to about 10,200 miles per 4 weeks during my first two solo months. A lot of sitting parked waiting to deliver or pickup (3 days), snow/ice delays (3.5 days), repairs to truck (2 days). So 8.5 days sitting out of 28!

I sat 40 hrs at Dodge City because I couldn’t move a delivery appointment forward without paying a $180 “work in” fee. When I checked in 1.5 hrs early for my appointment, I was told that the customer hadn’t scheduled the delivery, even though I had an appointment on my work order. So Prime ended up paying the $180 to get me unloaded after waiting another 6 hours. Otherwise would have waited from Fri until Tue to be scheduled.

At Another location in Tacoma I arrived at 05:36 for a 10:00 appointment to try getting unloaded early to make a second Stop appointment at 12:00. This receiver told me that he scheduled the delivery for 05:00 with the customer, so I was late and had to wait to be worked in. My work order said 10:00. Then the order was short 30 cases. I didn’t get to second receiver in Everett, WA until they had closed. So sat there overnight.

Then sat 3.5 day’s waiting for I-90E to clear up over Christmas weekend.

Two customers with communications failures between the receivers and Prime Sales about scheduling appointments.

I’m learning some hard lessons about needing to call ahead to verify appointments and to ask questions about work procedures at new locations (e.g. needing to check-in with lumper service after Receiving to get unloaded, cost me 5 hours! No instructions offered by Receiver).

I’m sitting 2 days now waiting on truck repairs after deadheading from Nashville to Kansas City area on Saturday to shift my truck out of TN. Missed out on a good load offered for Monday, but repairs won’t be done in time.

I’m going home in 11 days. I’m ready.

I’ve been out 4 weeks now since coming back. Only about 7,300 paid miles compared to about 10,200 miles per 4 weeks during my first two solo months. A lot of sitting parked waiting to deliver or pickup (3 days), snow/ice delays (3.5 days), repairs to truck (2 days). So 8.5 days sitting out of 28!

I sat 40 hrs at Dodge City because I couldn’t move a delivery appointment forward without paying a $180 “work in” fee. When I checked in 1.5 hrs early for my appointment, I was told that the customer hadn’t scheduled the delivery, even though I had an appointment on my work order. So Prime ended up paying the $180 to get me unloaded after waiting another 6 hours. Otherwise would have waited from Fri until Tue to be scheduled.

At Another location in Tacoma I arrived at 05:36 for a 10:00 appointment to try getting unloaded early to make a second Stop appointment at 12:00. This receiver told me that he scheduled the delivery for 05:00 with the customer, so I was late and had to wait to be worked in. My work order said 10:00. Then the order was short 30 cases. I didn’t get to second receiver in Everett, WA until they had closed. So sat there overnight.

Then sat 3.5 day’s waiting for I-90E to clear up over Christmas weekend.

Two customers with communications failures between the receivers and Prime Sales about scheduling appointments.

I’m learning some hard lessons about needing to call ahead to verify appointments and to ask questions about work procedures at new locations (e.g. needing to check-in with lumper service after Receiving to get unloaded, cost me 5 hours! No instructions offered by Receiver).

I’m sitting 2 days now waiting on truck repairs after deadheading from Nashville to Kansas City area on Saturday to shift my truck out of TN. Missed out on a good load offered for Monday, but repairs won’t be done in time.

I’m going home in 11 days. I’m ready.

OMG! Welcome back Dennis!

Thanks PackRat.

You won’t believe why I’m sitting for truck repairs. I found my right front fog lamp missing on Friday! It looks like it was cut out with a jigsaw or something. I wasn’t going to mention it because I didn’t want to start a debate about it.

Great job getting in where you fit in and allowing yourself to adapt to an extremely challenging career to tackle.

That's amazing to read Bill, congratulations! I'm in my second week solo and have a long ways to go as I try to get where you are.

Bill, it’s always nice to get a good report like yours.

I think of all the items you mentioned, No. 3 is the best, your record of highly safe driving. Keep it up!

I was prepared to welcome you to the joys of fatherhood. Damn misleading subject lines...

Wow. Dennis, you're getting a workout. Lol. I'm glad to see you on thebroad again. Even if you've been mostly sitting. You'll find a groove soone enough.

The west has really had its fair share of bad weather since Christmas.

Bes age out there.

Way to go Bill! You’re doing great!

We started about the same time, but you’re way ahead of me now after my 5 months off. I got a message today that I’ve earned my 6 months Safety award.

I’ve been out 4 weeks now since coming back. Only about 7,300 paid miles compared to about 10,200 miles per 4 weeks during my first two solo months. A lot of sitting parked waiting to deliver or pickup (3 days), snow/ice delays (3.5 days), repairs to truck (2 days). So 8.5 days sitting out of 28!

I sat 40 hrs at Dodge City because I couldn’t move a delivery appointment forward without paying a $180 “work in” fee. When I checked in 1.5 hrs early for my appointment, I was told that the customer hadn’t scheduled the delivery, even though I had an appointment on my work order. So Prime ended up paying the $180 to get me unloaded after waiting another 6 hours. Otherwise would have waited from Fri until Tue to be scheduled.

At Another location in Tacoma I arrived at 05:36 for a 10:00 appointment to try getting unloaded early to make a second Stop appointment at 12:00. This receiver told me that he scheduled the delivery for 05:00 with the customer, so I was late and had to wait to be worked in. My work order said 10:00. Then the order was short 30 cases. I didn’t get to second receiver in Everett, WA until they had closed. So sat there overnight.

Then sat 3.5 day’s waiting for I-90E to clear up over Christmas weekend.

Two customers with communications failures between the receivers and Prime Sales about scheduling appointments.

I’m learning some hard lessons about needing to call ahead to verify appointments and to ask questions about work procedures at new locations (e.g. needing to check-in with lumper service after Receiving to get unloaded, cost me 5 hours! No instructions offered by Receiver).

I’m sitting 2 days now waiting on truck repairs after deadheading from Nashville to Kansas City area on Saturday to shift my truck out of TN. Missed out on a good load offered for Monday, but repairs won’t be done in time.

I’m going home in 11 days. I’m ready.